Minamide discusses the war ending and homecoming. Before being discharge at Camp Beale, he is ask to join the Military Intelligence Service . Since his Father is passed away, he feels his duties are to return home to his family. When returning home,…
Minamide discusses arriving in France right after the 442nd Regimental Combat Team rescues the Lost Battalion. He gets assign to L Company to go to Italy for the push with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Minamide recalls making foxholes and…
Minamide discusses evacuating at 17 years-old to Colorado and seeing snow on the way there. Minamide would correspond with friends to join them to work on the sugar beet plantation in Colorado. Minamide would also correspond with his Father. When…
Minamide discusses December 8, 1941 when he comes home from school, he learns that his Father is picked up by the FBI. His father is brought to Tunga then Bismarck,North Dakota. Minamide and his family waits for the Government to give information…
Minamide discusses his favorite baseball player. Another sport Minamide is involved in is Judo. He practice Judo for six years and is part of a Judo Team. He recalls going to Judo Tournaments and matches in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles.
Minamide discusses his name, birth place, and birth date. His Father and Mother are Issei and have four children. In 1927, he goes to Japan with his family. Essential, the Minamide losses two children over in Japan. The oldest daughter passes away…
T. Yoshihashi discusses his recollections event immediately before, and after, the attack on Pearl Harbor. He talks about the reactions of his parents and friends. He describes travels to, and experiences at, an assembly center and internment camp.…
T. Yoshihashi talks about his final military experiences and his discharge. He discusses his affairs when he returned to the United States. He also talks about his wife and children.
T. Yoshihashi discusses his military assignments in Italy. He describes several incidents enduring enemy fire and talks about guarding German POWs. In addition, he shares recollections of when he heard of VE Day and receiving advice from seasoned…
T. Yoshihashi discusses his participation and recollections of the European Theater in France. He talks about the battles he was in, and military assignments in between battles. He also shares anecdotes regarding: amenities at his command post; his…
T. Yoshihashi discusses his thoughts and experiences regarding the loyalty questionnaire. He also talks about getting drafted in the military. He shares anecdotes regarding: his father's death; "no-no boys"; and how brother's military service was…
T. Yoshihashi discusses the political climate before the outbreak of WW2. He also shares his recollections of the Pearl Harbor attack, and the aftermath events that affected him and his family. He shares anecdotes regarding: President Roosevelt's…
T. Yoshihashi talks about his youth growing up in Pasadena, CA. He talks about his childhood home life with his parents and siblings. He shares anecdotes regarding: growing up in the Great Depression, school days, and racial segregation in Pasadena…
Masato Eddy Kurushima discusses the contributions of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) during the Occupation of Japan. Unlike the 442nd, 100th, and 552nd, the MIS wartime efforts are not well known because they were a top-secret unit. Eddy…
Masato "Eddy" Kurushima discusses why the natives in the Pacific did not like anyone with Japanese ancestry. Eddy recalled an encounter with the Filipino natives and was mistaken for Japanese soldiers. Eddy says there was always a guard with the…
At Camp Savage, Masato Eddy Kurushima learns Japanese to be am interpreter. He recalls studying late at night to learn the vocabulary and kanji characters.
Eddy also goes to basic training for eight weeks. His learns infantry training and…
In the six months at Fresno, the Kurushima family learns how to make the most of the situation in Jerome. Masato Eddy Kurushima says the barracks at Jerome are similar to Fresno Fair Grounds Relocation Center. He describes the living conditions and…
On December 7, 1941, Masato Eddy Kurushima was at the free market selling their harvest and heard the news about Pearl Harbor. Eddy was in shock and felt things would go back to normal the next day. The Pearl Harbor attack changed the lives of the…
Masato Eddy Kurushima and his family go to Japan for a few years. During his time in Japan, he sees the country militarizing. After a year of recovery, Eddy's father decides to return to the United States earlier. After living in the United States,…
Masato Eddy Kurushima records his childhood through his drawings. He shows an illustration about his home life. During Christmas and New Year's time, the family makes mochi. Making mochi on special occasions is a Japanese tradition that Eddy's…
Masato Eddy Kurushima is born on December 6, 1924, in Brawley, CA.
Masato changes his name to Eddy because of the confusion of his Japanese name with his sister's name in high school.
Eddy grows up on the farm and he describes his childhood and…
Miya discusses discharge in 1946 in Chicago. In Chicago Miya is reunites with other Nisei soldiers who serve in the Military. He describes the contribution of the Nisei soldiers to World War Two.
Miya discuses after the war staying with a provisional company until he gets assign to another company. Among his peers he is treated well by the original soldiers and did not feel any discrimination. Miya recalls his being a parameter guard at…
Miya discusses his experiences going overseas to Italy. Aboard the ship there 200 Japanese American soldiers out of 5,000 troops. Among his peers, Miya says the accomplishments of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team…
Miya discusses hearing about Pearl Harbor on the radio on December 7, 1941. During this time, Miya is 18 years old attending Senior year of High School. He did not feel racism or prejudices from his classmates. However, he does experiences racism…
Miya discusses his prefecture origin and changing his last name from Miyagishima to Miya. He feels that Miya would be easier for his friends to pronounce. Growing up, his family are Christians. The Miya family does not tend church regularly due to…
During the Military occupation in Japan, Tommy Mayekawa works for the Third Military Railway Service Headquarters as an interpreter. He guards the trains to make sure they are not pilferage.
Living in Yokohama, Japan, Tommy does not encounter…
Tommy Mayekawa and his family evacuate to Santa Anita Assembly Center after receiving the evacuation orders. He describes the living conditions and life in the camp. Tommy and his family live in a horse stable, and his parents accepted the situation…
Tommy Masakazu Mayekawa is born on April 22, 1921, in Hawthorne, CA. Tommy's parents are from Mie-ken, Japan. When Tommy's father immigrates to the United States, he works on the railroads and truck farming.
Hamada discusses taking a loyalty questionnaire and the aftermath which included getting sent to a segregation camp and expatriation to Japan. He then talks about his experiences in Japan including traveling, discussing food, visiting relatives, and…
Hamada talks about his experiences as part of ROTC; discusses his thoughts regarding citizenship; and talks about how his grandparents moved back to Japan while he was still in high school. He then talks about his knowledge of pre-war tensions…
Hamada discusses his grandfather's immigration to the United States and his work on the transcontinental railroad; discusses his grandmother; and talks about his parents. He then talks about both his maternal and paternal grandparents; discusses his…
Masato Yamashita's interview is with Lloyd Fujitani.
When the news of the war is over, Masato Yamashita hears that they might go to the Pacific, and soldiers from I Company sign up for the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).
Masato Yamashita's interview is with Lloyd Fujitani.
Masato Yamashita and Lloyd Fujitani recall hearing the news about Pearl Harbor on the radio. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, anyone who is a leader of a Japanese Organization is taken away by…
Masato Yamashita's interview is with Lloyd Fujitani.
Masato Mauch Yamashita is born on December 27, 1924, in Lodi, CA. Lloyd Katsuto Fujitani is born January 1, 1917, in Lodi, CA. Both Masato and Lloyd are with 442nd Company I. Masato, and Lloyd's…
Mr. Inashima describes his arrival in the Philippines with the MIS and later his assignment to Japan with an industrial survey team. Mr. Inashima describes his typical day in the MIS and talks about the Japanese culture, food, and entertainment he…
Mr. Inashima discusses his early life growing up in Seattle, Washington, describing the Japanese neighborhood he grew up in and the culture he was surrounded with. During childhood, Mr. Inashima attended Japanese language school and following his…
Maya Miyamoto narrates photographs from the occupation of Japan. The pictures range from baseball games, family, relatives, friends, Japanese nationalist's daily life, and pets.
Maya also shares how he met his wife at Poston. His grandson,…
During the occupation of Japan, Maya Miyamoto worked in Tokyo. He had a driver's license and could drive jeeps, tanks, and other vehicles. Therefore, a Lieutenant asked him to stay in Tokyo.
Maya Miyamoto was born on January 28, 1922, in Carmel Valley, CA. His father and mother were from Kumamoto, Japan. Maya's father taught him respect, how to get along with others, honesty, and do not shame the family. Maya said his parents wished him…
During the occupation of Japan, Paul Ichiuji worked for the CIC to gather information. Paul got information from the butokai and couriers. Although Paul’s Japanese was not that proficient, he knew important words to communicate with the butokai.…
Norman Kikuta begins by describing his childhood growing up on the pineapple plantations of Hawaii and his educational experiences from primary school through university. He recalls the Pearl Harbor attack and subsequently volunteering for the Hawaii…
Hattori discusses about his experiences in post-war Japan with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). He details about the living conditions post-war, his interactions with Japanese citizens, and Japanese culture. Hattori also evaluates the Nisei's…
Hattori discusses about abalone, his wife, and joining the Army. He details about being blacklisted, the loyalty questionnaire, and joining the Military Intelligence Service. He details about his time in Minnesota and his experiences in post-war…
Hattori discusses more about har-hat diving and his finances. He details about Pearl Harbor, its aftermath, and what barbed wire is. Hattori also gives more details about his experiences with forced removal. Hattori briefly discusses his experiences…
Hattori discusses about his parents, family dynamic, and religion. He details about identifying as American, growing up in Monterey, California, and different aspects of his childhood. Hattori also discusses about hard-hat diving.
Tanaka discusses his military experiences in Occupied Japan. He talks about cave flushing, working in Saipan, and sightseeing in Japan during his off time. He also talks about his return to Hawaii and his military discharge.
R. Tanaka discusses his experiences in Occupied Japan. He talks about interpreting assignments he had and interactions with Japanese citizens. He also talks about visits with relatives in Fukuoka both as a child and during his furlough in Occupied…
